Decorative sheet material and proc



Nov. 24, 1936. R. s. JACKSON 20,182

DECORATIVE SHEET MATERIAL AND PROCESS FOR PR PARING THE SAME OriginalFiled Sept. 20, 1932 Reissued Nov. 24, 1936 PATENT OFFICE DECORATIVESHEET MATERIAL AND PROC- ESS FOR PREPARING THE SAME Ralph G. Jackson,Woodbury, N. J.

Original No. 1,998,780, dated April 23, 1935, Serial No. 634,057,September 20, 1932.

Renewed December 18, 1934. Application for reissue June 29, 1936, SerialNo. 88,034

26 Claims. (Cl. Ell-67.9)

This invention relates to an article of manufacture and to a process ofpreparing the same and pertains more particularly to improvements in theproduction of nap-surfaced decorative sheet materials to be employed infloor coverings, wall coverings and in decorative sheet materialsgenerally.

The present application is a continuation in part of my application,Serial No. 541,668, filed June 2, 1931. i

In the present improvement, unexpected and remarkable effects inappearance and wearing quality have been obtained by using as adecorative sheet, a new type of felt sheet peculiar in that it has whatmay be defined as curled or kinky vegetable fibers of wood pulp. Onesuch product now available is known as Krafelt and is identified anddescribed generally in British Patent No. 313,085, although perhapsinsufiiciently therein and for which reason there will be embodied inthis specification a short statement as to how the felt sheet isprepared prior to being treated decoratively and completed according tothe present invention. The manufacture of the felted sheet, per se, isnot claimed as a part of the present invention, but the resultant sheetand the steps of preparing it are peculiarly related to the resultantsuccess achieved by the present invention, as will be shown. I

One characteristic appearance of the floor coverings made by thisinvention from the curly ed pulp fibers.

fiber type of sheet is the obtainable velvety texture of the surfacewhich has an actual nap surface when the sheet is treated as prescribedherein. It has also been found that the final decorated and completedproduct is wear resisting, and will wear smoothly and uniformly witheven texture and is highly resistant to tearing strains. C

Certain additional peculiar advantages are obtained as a result of usingthe type of absorbent felt base described and in treating in the mannerexplained herein. There appear to be at least two outstandingcharacteristics ofthe felt- One is the curled condition of the fibersand the other is the swelling of the fibers. Due to the fact that thefibers are swollen, they make a more open felt than previously known;

also paints and dyes penetrate better than they do in providing similartreatment to other sheets, and also due to the fact that the fibers arecurled and hooked and matted together, the dyes or inks, although theymay follow the fiber, do not spread out laterally so far as they wouldon fibrous material heretofore known. For this reason, more definitelines may be formed in the resultant product by printing or otherwiseapmatted together and do not loosen in such a way that they might tendto be lost from the sheet.

The above and other advantages and features of the invention aredescribed and claimed in the following specification and claims and thestructure is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:--

Figure 1 represents diagrammatically a top plan view of a section ofdecorative sheet material'showing a portion which is decorated withrelatively fine lines forming a conventional geometric design; 7

Figure 2 is an edge view of the sheet shown in Figure 1, illustratingthe decorating material extending in lines downward through the materialof the sheet having a nap surface on both sides;

Figure 3 is a view similar to that shown in Figure l, but showing amodification of the coloring scheme, displaying solid colors arranged insquares; and

Figure 4 is an edge view of the sheet shown in Figure 3, showing anexample wherein one side of the sheet has a nap surface and the otherside has been treated with a stiffening material.

Referring in detail to the several figures of the drawing, I indicates asheet of unsaturated absorbent mechanically or chemically treated woodpulp having a kinky or curly fiber, and prepared as hereinafterdescribed. 2 indicates a decorative penetrating coloring material whichex tends well down into, substantially through,=the thickness of thesheet from top to bottom. This may be applied in lines of diiierentcolor, as indicated in Figures 1 and 2, or it may be applied in solidcolors, as indicated by Figures 3 and 4.

in which the parts 2 represent red, for instance,

and the parts 2 represent blue, thus simulating a tile effect. Thiscoloring effect may be worked out as desired, as for instance, inalternate squares. of black and white. Instead of the stiffeningmaterial.

geometric figures illustrated in the drawing, the decorations may be ofany design.

The material of the colors and decorative effects ordinarily extendsubstantially through the thickness of the sheet, as shown in Figure 2,following the individual fibers. In Figure 4, however, is shown a sheetwhereon a paint backing has been applied at 4. The paint backing is ofplain color and is so applied that the oil or vehicle of the backingextends only a slight distance into the sheet, as shown, and the paintis of such a consistency that the pigment is not carried to anyperceptible amount into the sheet. Instead of the paint backing, abacking containing rubber, or a composition of oil and cork, may beapplied.

In Figure 2, the sheet i is shown provided with a nap on both sidesthereof and in Figure 4 with a nap on one side. The color decorations inthe body of the sheet are preferably included in the nap as shown.However, the stiifening material 4 is preferably a composition whichprovides a. uniform color and the color decorations in the sheet are notvisible on the side treated with the A sheet having decorationsthroughout its thickness and having a nap on both sides with thedecorations included in the nap may be made reversible. The decorationsmay be the same on both sides or the designs may be different if thedegree of penetration of the decorative medium be controlled withrespect to the thickness of the sheet, coloring penetrating from theopposite faces toward the center only about one-half the thickness ofthe sheet.

The degree of penetration and impregnation of the penetrating coloringmaterial depends on the density and absorbability of the fibrous base,the thickness of the sheet, the amount of pressure used when thecoloring material is employed and on the amount of and the degree offluidity of the coloring material.

After the decorative media have been applied and allowed to dry, thesheet may be treated if desired with a waterproofing saturant such as asolution containing a cellulose ester, or containing resins and waxes,which partly or completely fill the remaining voids between the fibers.This is done particularly if the sheet is to be used for floor coveringpurposes to render the material more wear resisting as taught in mycopending application, Serial No. 541,668. If a relatively soft sheet isdesired, less saturant is forced into the sheet than if a harder ortougher sheet is to be formed. It is contemplated that the saturant maybe substantially transparent as in the case of the invention describedin my copending application Serial No. 541,668, of which this case is acontinuation in part.

In the procedure of saturating the sheet, or as mentioned above, forcingsaturant into the sheet, the following general treatment has been usedto advantage. The sheet to be saturated is passed through a hot bath ofsaturant at a temperature of at least 300 F. In the preferredarrangement, the sheet is passed-over a series of rollers, a pluralityof which are located in the bath and a plurality above the bath. Intravelling over these rollers the sheet is successively dipped, and acertain amount of air is squeezed out of the sheet as it passes overboth the upper and lower rollers and at the same time a portion ofliquid saturant is squeezed into the sheet by being caught between thetravelling sheet and the roller over which it passes. The same squeezingaction is responsible for driving out a portion of the air. 'The tensionon the sheet and resultant pressure of the sheet on the rolls may, tosome extent, control the degree of saturation and such degree is furthercon trolled by the number of times that the sheet is dipped into thesaturant. It will be obvious that the degree of saturation is less ifthe sheet is passed over three rolls submerged in the saturant than ifit was passed over six rolls submerged in the saturant.

In the softer sheets, the saturantdoes not completely fill the voidsbetween the fibres, or the voids nearer the surface are not completelyfilled, or the voids may be fewer and fewer when proceeding from thesurface toward the inner portions of the sheet, in which latter case theinner portions are relatively dense and the outer portions relativelysoft and open. In the relatively harder sheets, the voids are morecompletely filled throughout the body of said sheets.

The application of the coloring matter may be done in several ways. Thecolor may be deposited by a printing machine and in this way a figureddecoration may be obtained or a continuous color coating appliedQor thesheet may be passed between rollers and the paint applied to one or bothsurfaces and forced in by the squeezing action of the rollers. As anoptional method, the fibers may be tinted at the beater stage after theyhave been subjected to the curling or kinking treatment, and just priorto the formation of them into the felt sheet.

In decorating the sheet, the amount of paint applied and the proportionof pigment and veon a hard surface, only from 5% to 15% of the vehicleis volatile matter. If paints of such low volatility were used here, thenap or figures would be so matted down that a hard surface materialwould be produced.

As a backing or stiffening material, a coat of paint may be employed inorder to give the back a uniform color, or a backing might be usedcontaining rubber, or containing a composition of oil and cork. Thebacking with paint may in many instances be done advantageously beforethe felt sheet is saturated or decorated. It has been found that byputting a coat of paint on the one side of the sheet when it is finishedand allowing the oils or vehicle of this backing to slightly penetratethe sheet, the sheet is stiffened and given a tough layer on one sidewhich enables the sheet to be handled without wrinkling. The paint mustbe of such a consistency that the vehicle will penetrate the sheet to aslight degree but the pigment will not be carried to any perceptibleamount into the sheet.

Another method of increasing the stiffness of the sheet and making iteasier to handle is to prime it with a penetrating sizing material or apriming material such as an oil with a slight amount of resin in it. Theoil may be a drying oil such as linseed oil, China wood oil, and thelike. The resin may be either natural such as colophony, or artificialsuch as a resin of the phenol-aldehyde or glycerol-phthalic acid type.The sheet is moistened part or all the way through with the said sizingor priming material and the oil allowed to set or oxidize. This willbond the fibers slightly and so fix them that when the sheet isdistorted they will not push out of plac'e voids of the sheet are notfilled but an amount is applied simply suflicient to moisten the fibersand place them in a tacky and slightly stiffened condition. This canreadily be done without decreasing the penetrating quality.

The amount of paint applied and the propor tion of pigment and vehiclemay be controlled so that only the quantity is applied which will sinkinto the sheet and leave only .an amount on the surface or in sight onthe surface to cover the fibers and give them color, but still have asoft surfacehaving a nap. When the amount of color ing material isproperly controlled, the sheet will be penetrated and yet there will notbe enough left on the surface to make a continuous film. If desiredthenap is raised mechanically after the sheet has been decoratedorsaturated or first decorated and then saturated. By treating both sidesof the felt base in this manner, a piece of goods may be produced havinga-relative lg soft appearing surface on both sides. Under properconditions, no mechanical raising of the nap is required sincethe napsurfacecis retained even after decoration and saturation.

The method of manufacturing the non-woven fibrous sheet materialcomposed of artificially crinkled fibers and forming the base materialfor the improved impregnated product of this invention is essentially asfollows: Wood or other suitable fibrous cellulosic pulp, prepared by anysuitable' chemical process for producing pulp, is treated with aswelling agent under conditions of concentration and temperature suchthat the reactivity of the solution does not reach the stage required tobring about gelatinization of the cel lulose. The swelling agent iswashed out before the reaction has proceeded appreciably further thanrequired to swell the fibers. The crinkled fibers are then made into afelt or paper by the usual paper-making steps. suitable swelling agentsare zinc chloride, ferric chloride, various thiocyanates, ciiprammon iumv solutions, etc., but preferably caustic alkali, and

particularly sodium hydroxidein concentrations between 8% and 35%. If acaustic alkali other than sodium hydroxide is used these percentagesrepresent an equivalent concentration of sodium hydroxide. While higherconcentrations of caustic may be used it is not necessary or economicalto go above 35%. While temperatures between -.10 C. and +104 C. may beusedin conducting the process, room temperature is the .most desirableand convenient. In order to prevent a too drastic action of the caustic0n the pulp and to prevent weight losses, the ratio of liquor to pulpshould not rise too high. Thus excellent results are produced by usingsodium hydroxide liquor in a proportion of "from 4.5 to 7.4 parts byweightfor one part of pulp. Since the proportion of liquor used in thispresent process is somewhat smaller than is used in other processes fortreating cellulose, whether in the manufacture of pulp or in thetreatment of finished pulp for the purpose of purifying it, the mixingof the pulp and liquor within the relatively short period permitted forcontact between the pulp and caustic. is ef- In using the priming orsizing material it is necessary to limit the quantity so that the" Amongthe various fected by means of an apparatus which squeezes the pulpwithout abrasive or other mechanical action which tends to break up thefiber. A suitable apparatus for this purpose is the'usual kneadingmachine, or ordinary beater machinein which the beater roll'is raisedfrom about 3- mm. to 12 mm. above the bed plate. The time of treatinggenerally only a matter of several seconds to 30 minutes, should notextend beyond the point at which a superficial gelatinization of thefibers takes place and must stop before there is any appreciable loss offiber identity. To this end a stream of water is run into the mixingapparatus to wash out the caustic and to stop the reaction after a timenot appreciably longer than required to completely distribute thecaustic throughout,

the pulp.

The time of treatment is dependent for the most part upon the speed atwhich the caustic solution is distributed throughout the pulp anduponthe temperature of the solution since caustic alkali solution, aspointed outin the mentioned application, the temperature is lowered, andbecause of the increasedtendency of the cellulose to dissolve in coldcaustic the time of treatment must be shortened. with excellent mixing,as-when a small quantity of pulp is stirred rapidly with a paddle intothe caustic solution,thirty seconds is sufiicient, even at a temperatureas high as becomes increasingly reactive as room temperature, 1. e., 20to 30 C. When large quantities of pulp are treated, it is not possible,however, to cause such rapid admixture of pulp and caustic in the mixingmachine and the time of treatment is, therefore, somewhat longer,

usually between 10 and 30 minutes. A prac--- 'tical method ofdetermining the end point, the

noting a high freeness. Inasmuch as the highly absorbenterinkled fibersfrom which the base is made have a remarkably high freeness as comparedto other pulps, the freeness value not only determines the end pointreferred to above but also serves to identify the product. Since thishigh freeness does not permit of measurement with sufiicient accuracy bythe methods conventionally used, it has been found-necessary to expressthe freeness values in terms of a freeness testing method which requires'a longer time in seconds for the water to drain from-the pulp. Thefreeness is definedas the time in seconds for the water level .of adispersion of the pulp, at 25 C. containing 5 grams of Bone dry pulp insufficient water to make 1000 cc. of pulp suspension, to drop 30centimeters when the suspension is contained in a vertical.

glass tube 1R inches in diameter closed at-the bottom with a circularbrass wire screen .1-12' inches in diameter, 0.006 inch thick and havinga mesh of 50 x 70. In conducting the test the lower end ofthe tube isprovided with an extension which is filled with water to the levelscmenuutilanorificeintbcutemlonilop-ad than 40 seconds.

permitting the water to flow down through the pulp deposited thereon.

The duration of the caustic treatment, under the particular conditionsof temperature and concentration, should be such that the freeness asdefined above is between certain limits. It should be pointed out,however, that it is unnecessary for the skilled operator to conduct sucha freeness test to aid in carrying out the process or to identify theproduct, the experience gained through trial and error being sufiicientto determine the duration of the treatment which seldom exceeds 30minutes and is preferably no longer than required to uniformlydistribute the caustic throughout the pulp.

-of treated and untreated fibers are recognized The unusually highfreeness of the pulp from which is made the base material for the newimpregnated article of manufacture is shown by comparison with otherpulps known to have a high freeness value. Thus the fibers'of kraft pulpcrinkled at 25 C. with 22% sodium hydroxide has a freeness of 26.4seconds and when crinkled with 8% caustic had a. freeness of 39.2seconds whereas the same pulp without the crinkling treatment has a muchslower freeness as evidenced by the 63.7 seconds found as under themicroscope after staining with zinc chloriodide solution. The colorproduced by the crinkled unbleached kraft pulps' is almost black due tothe brown color of the pulp. This test distinguishes from pulps made bythe soda process with 8%-11% sodium hydroxide solution under hightemperature and pressure but which have not received the additionalsodium hydroxide treatment of the crinkling process described herein.Pulp made from the soda process and which has not been crinkled asdescribed shows its freeness value. Similarly, bleached sulfite pulpcrinkled with 18% caustic has a freeness of 36.6

seconds whereas ordinary bleached sulfite without the crinklingtreatment has a freeness of 105.8 seconds and the more porous speciallypurified bleached sulfite pulp without the crinkling treatment has afreeness of 80.8 seconds. A sample of blotter pulp tested had a freenessof 284 seconds.

After the crinkling process has been completed and the caustic removedfrom the pulp by washing, the pulp may be beaten, while dispersed inwater, with a paper beating machine in order to improve the strength ofthe felted product. Although this treatment decreases the absorbencysomewhat for impregnating materials when the treated fibers are in driedsheet form, the absorbency is nevertheless still considerably higherthan usual absorbent papers with the added advantage of greatlyincreased strength. In this operation it is not desired to cut thefibers but merely to disperse them or to brush them out and hydratethem, and to cause the fibers to exhibit a frayed appearance under themicroscope. As more fully disclosed hereinafter, the treated pulp may beimpregnated directly, especially when the impregnating media is anaqueous dispersion, and the impregnating pulp then made into sheet form.

The crinkled fibers obtained by the described method of treating pulpwith caustic and washi'ng out the caustic after a short time, or thesefibers after the mentioned beating in water, are deposited in the formof a sheet, as in known methods of manufacturing paper, and the sheet isthereupon dried. The exceptionally high porosity ofthe resulting productmay be noted from the fact that the porosity, as determined by theGurley densometer, varies from 0.4 second to 12 seconds as compared toblotting paper which seldom shows, by the same test, a porosity less Thecrinkled fibers product as described, or the paper of felt producedtherefrom, are charac-' terized by a coloration test with zincchloriodide.

This test, taken in connection with other characonly a. very slightcoloration readily distinguished from the deeper color produced by thetreated pulp.

One form of the highly porous sheet material above described may also beprepared by the method set forth in Patent 1,757,756, issued to GeorgeL. Schwartz, May 6, 1930, which consists in treating a felt or papermade from ordinary paper pulp with a swelling agent such as sodiumhydroxide at a concentration of 2.5 to 8 mols per 100 mols of water for15 to 20 seconds at a temperature between the freezing point and 20 C.higher, i. e., between -12 C. and +8 C. for sodium hydroxide, andwashing out the gelatinizing or swelling agent at the completion of thereaction. It will be noted that when the absorbent felted product ismade by treating paper instead of pulp, which is subsequently felted itis necessary to use a more reactive swelling agent, at the lowtemperature mentioned.

It is to be understood that the term artificially crinkled fibers, asused in the claims, refers to the curled and kinked product obtained asabove described by/the action of a swelling agent onfibers in pulp formwhich is washed out of the fibers after the short time required forcomnew impregnated article is made is also to be distinguished from thefibers of pulp which have received a subsequent purifying treatment withcaustic inasmuch as this treatment is extended as to time and is,furthermore, usually conducted under drastic conditions with respect tohigh liquor ratio and mechanical manipulation as are suitable for theproduction of high grade papers. The described crinkled product cannotbe produced under these conditions.

It is preferable to employ in the present invention, the curly or kinkyfibres of wood pulp as set forth above, but vegetable fibres such ascotton linters which are naturally curly may be employed in preparing asheet suitable for usein The crinkled fibers from which the base of themy article, provided that a loose, absorbent sheet having a nap surfacemay be formed from such fibres.

The sheet material employed in the product of the present invention hasnumerous advantages. When coloring fluid in the form of paint or dye isapplied to the surface of a Krafelt sheet it is rapidly absorbed andcarried directly inward without spreading laterally to as-great anextent as in the case of ordinary felt. Due to the curled fibers, thereis practically no lateral spread of the coloring medium within the bodyof the sheet as well as at the surface so that uniformity of outline ofthe designs is obtained throughout the thickness of the sheet. Thisresults in a manufacturing factor in which the penetration of thedecorative material in this new material is as great and as uniform asthe surface spread which is quite in contrast to what wouldresult insurface application of coloring fluids to previously known papers orfelts inasmuch that in the latter the surface spread is very muchgreater than the penetration and the surface markings much moreirregular than in the case of the new sheet. This latter characteristicis probably due to the fact that in ordinary papers and felts, such asheretofore available, the fibers are usually matted or extendedlaterally thus causing applied color to run or be absorbed laterallywith little penetration, whereas in the new product, due to the kinksand curls, the fibers extend inwardly of the sheet as much as laterallyand color penetration is as pronounced as is lateral spread.

The texture of the sheet is also uniform throughout and does not changein its physical appearance as it is worn down. Also, the nap on thesheet may be retained even after the application of coloring fluids orsaturants.

It hasbeen observed that the rates of absorption of different coloringfluids by a given fibrous material are different. By employing Krafeltthe differences in the rates of absorption for different coloring fluidsare lessened. Due to the nature of the fibers in Krafelt, the differentcoloring fluids employed may be absorbed at more nearly the same rate.

What I claim is:-

1. As a new article of manufacture, a felt sheet composed of chemicallycurled and swollen fibers of wood pulp, the said sheet having a nap andout its thickness.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a felt sheet composed of chemicallycurled and swollen fibers of wood pulp, the said sheet having a nap andhaving decorations at one face and extending substantially throughoutits thickness, the contour and colors of said decorations being uniformsubstantially through the sheet whereby the sheet has the sameappearance when the sheet is worn as beforewearsets in.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a decorated and waterproofed sheetmaterial made from a felt base having curled cellulose fibers, andhaving a nap surface on both sides and having decorative coloringextending in designs into the body of the sheet.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a decorated felt base materialcomposed of chemically kinked and curled cellulose fibers and having araised nap surface on both sides thereof and said material havingcolored designs extending deeply into the body of the sheet thereof.

5. A process of preparing a decorative sheet material, which processcomprises applying to a having colored decorations substantiallythroughsheet composed of chemically curled and swollen fibers of woodpulp coloring fluid to provide decocoloring fluid with chemically curledand swollen fibers of wood pulp to form a decorative sheet havingcolored decorations which extend deeply into the sheet formed of saidfibers, and subjecting the colored sheet to a mechanical nappingtreatment to provide a nap on the surface and thus not destroying thedecorations when raising the nap.

-'7. A process of preparing a decorative sheet material, which processcomprises applying to a sheet composed of chemically curled and swollenfibers of wood pulp coloring fluid to permit the absorption thereofdeeply into the sheet in the form of colored designs, and subjecting thecolored sheet to a mechanical napping treatment to provide a nap surfaceon both sides thereof and thus not destroying the decorations whenraising the nap.

8. A process of preparing a decorative sheet material, which processcomprises impregnating a sheet composed of chemically curled and swollenfibers of wood pulp, with a fluid composition for coating and stiffeningthe fibers, applying coloring fluid to the surface of the sheet toabsorb the coloring and to decorate the sheet with colored designs welldown into the body of the said sheet, and subjecting the decorated sheetto a mechanical napping treatment to provide a nap on the surface andthus not destroying the decorations when raising the nap.

9. A process of preparing a decorative sheet material, which processcomprises applying to a sheet having a nap and composed of chemicallycurled and swollen fibers of wood pulp coloring fluid to decorate thesheet the operation being conducted without destroying the nap and toform colored designs that extend deeply into the sheet.

10. A processof preparing a decorative sheet material, which processcomprises applying to a sheet composedof chemically curled and swollenfibers of wood pulp coloring fiuid to decorate the sheet with coloreddesigns that extend deeply into the body thereof, impregnating thedecorated sheet with a saturant to fill the voids in the sheet, andsubjecting the decorated sheet to a mechanical napping treatment toprovide a nap on the surface and thus not destroying the decorationswhen raising the nap.

11. As a new article of manufacture, a decorated sheet materialcomprising curly cellulose flbers and a saturant in voids between theflbers, the said sheet material having a nap and having colored designsthat extend deeply into the sheet.

12. As a new article of manufacture, a decorated felt base sheetmaterial composed of chemically kinked and curled cellulose fibers and asaturant in voids between the fibers, the said sheet material having araised nap surface on both sides thereof and having colored decorationsthat extend deeply into the said sheet material.

13. A process of producing a sheet suitable for use as a floor coveringhaving a nap surface which process comprises applying penetratingcoloring matter to a sheet of felt base material composed of feltedcurled and kinked cellulose fibers and forming figured decorations, andthen mechanically raising the nap on the surface.

14. In a decorative sheeting, a fibrous sheet having colored designsextending deeply into the sheet, containing a. saturant toughening agentfilling the voids between the fibers and extending substantialllycompletely therethrough, and having a nap surface.

15. In a decorative sheeting, a fibrous sheet having decorative coloringextending in designs deeply into the sheet, containing a saturanttoughening agent filling the voids between the fibers and extendingsubstantially completely therethrough, and having a nap surface.

16. A decorative covering comprising a sheet of fibrous material havingdecorative coloring extending from one face deeply into the body of thesheet, and having a toughening binding agent extending substantiallythroughout the thickness of the sheet and permitting the decorativecoloring to be visible at the wear surface and on down into the sheet asit is worn independent of the color of the saturant, said sheet beingpliable and resistant to abrasive and impact wear, and having a. napsurface .on that face displaying the decorative coloring.

17. A decorative covering comprising a sheet of. fibrous material havingdecorative coloring in designs extending from one face deeply into thebody of the sheet, and having a tough-ening binding agent extendingsubstantially throughout the thickness of the sheet and permitting thedecorative coloring to be visible, said sheet being pliable. andresistant to abrasive and impact wear, and having a nap surface on thatface displaying the decorative coloring.

18. As a new article of manufacture, a piece of sheet covering materialhaving a base of felted curled cellulose fibers, and having a napsurface and figured decorations on one side and a stiffening compositionon the other and extending within the body of said sheet material.

19. In a decorative sheeting, a sheet of nonwoven fibrous material of aporous nature prior to treatment, having colored designs extendingdeeply into the sheet, containing a saturant toughening agent fillingthe voids between the fibers and extending substantially completelytherethrough, and having a nap surface.

20. In a decorative sheeting, a sheet of nonwoven fibrous matenil of aporous nature prior to treatment, having decorative coloring extendingin designs deeply into the sheet, containing a saturant toughening agentfilling the voids between the fibers and extending substantiallycompletely therethrough, and having a nap surface.

21. A decorative covering comprising a sheet of non-woven fibrousmaterial of a porous nature prior to treatment having decorativecoloring extending from one face deeply into the body of the sheet, andhaving a toughening binding agent extending substantially throughout thethickness of the sheet and permitting the decorative coloring to bevisible at the wear surface and on down into the sheet as it is wornindependent of the color of the saturant, said sheet being pliable andresistant to abrasive and impact wear, and having a nap surface on thatface displaying the decorative coloring.

22. A decorative sheet of the type having a nap surface on at least oneface thereof consisting of a fibrous web having decorative coloringextending from one face thereof deep down into the web, and asubstantially transparent toughening agent extending substantiallythrough the thickness of the web, the pores of said web between thefibers within the body of the sheet being only partially filled, saiddecorative coloring being visible through the toughening agent.

23. A decorative sheet of the type having a nap surface on at least oneface thereof, consisting of a fibrous web formed of curly cellulosefibers having decorative coloring extending from one face thereof deepdown into the web, and a substantially transparent toughening agentextending substantially through the thickness of the web, the pores ofsaid web between the fibers within the body of the sheet being onlypartially filled, said decorative coloring being visible through thetoughening agent.

24. A decorative sheet consisting of a fibrous web having decorativecoloring extending from one face thereof deep down into the web, and asubstantially transparent toughening agent extending substantiallythrough the thickness of the web,the pores of said web between thefibers within the body of the sheet being only partially filled, thedecorated and saturated sheet having a nap surface, said decorativecoloring being vis ible through the toughening agent.

25. The process of preparing a soft-bodied decorative sheet of the typehaving a nap surface on at least one face thereof from porous fibroussheet material, which process comprises impregnating such a sheet withdecorative coloring matter penetratingly so as to extend deep down intothe body of the sheet and tint the fibers without filling the spacesbetween the fibers, subsequently impregnating. the sheet thus' decoratedwith a saturant toughening agent substantially throughout the thicknessof a sheet and terminating the introduction of the toughening agentbefore the voids between the fibers within the body of the sheet and atthe surface are completely filled.

' 26. The process of preparing a soft-bodied decorative sheet of thetype having a nap surface on at least one face thereof from porousfibrous sheet material, which process comprises impregnating such asheet with decorative coloring matter penetratingly so as to extend deepdown into the body of the sheet and tint the fibers without filling thespaces between the fibers, subsequently impregnating the sheet thusdecorated with a hot saturant toughening agent substantially throughoutthe thickness of. a sheet and terminating the introduction of thetoughening agent while yet the voids between the fibers within the bodyof the sheet and at the surface are capable of accepting an additionalamount of saturant.

RALPH G. JACKSON.

